Trigger-operated gun sight



May 1, 1951 J. D. HAZEN EI'AL 2,550,694

TRIGGER-OPERATED GUN SIGHT Filed May 22, 1944 inveni'or James D; Hazenb, Mlliam .QMerrill AH z me y Patented May 1, 1951 TRIGGER-OPERATED GUN SIGHT James D'. Hazen' and William D. Merrill, Portland, reg..

Application May 22, 1944,, Seria-INO. 536,668.

four invention relates to sighting. devices for rifles and the like. The area of the sighting aperture of a rifile generally determines the field of vision and the fineness of the alining mechanism determines the accuracy ofthe sighting mechwith a moving target and as the field is widened,

accuracy is correspondingly sacrificed.

The object of our invention is to provide a sight which has a wide field of vision which is progressively narrowed as the trigger is pulled. Therefore, initially the rifieman views a relatively wide range and the sights maybe roughly aligned with a target. As the, trigger is squeezed the area of the sight is progressively decreased, until just prior to the final trigger squeeze, a sight is provided comparable'in aperture size to a peep sight. This structure not only provides rapidity initially to aline the rifle with the object and permits precision correction, but also tends to promote trigger squeeze instead of trigger pull, which latter tends to move the rifle out of position.

Our invention is adapted to be incorporated in 3 Claims. Cl.- 33-53 angles to the plane on which Fig. 1 is taken, v

said section being taken line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view showing the manner of attaching a trigger to actuate the device illustrated in the foregoing figures;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3 showing a modified type of device embodying our invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. "2, illustrating said modification; and

substantially on the Fig. 6 is a view of a rifle-provided with asight embodying our invention-showing the manner in which said sight is used. v

Our invention is: particularly adapted for small arms, such for example as an infantrymans rifle or-similar sporting rifles. It is to be understood", however, that we do not intend to limit our invention to such small: arms, as: it has general application to any type of rifle, such, for example as field rifles, which are sighted in.

A sight embodying our invention is provided with a base I, having a vertically adjustable member 2, slidably' mounted therein. An eye piece member 3 is slidably mounted for lateral movement on the top of the vertically adjustable member. An elevation adjustment member 4 is journalled in the base and has a pinion 5 secured to the. shaft 411 for such member. Said pinion operatively engages arack 6 formed upon the interior of member 2. Thus, rotating said elevation adjustment member 3 tends to move the vertically adjusted member 2 upwardly and downwardly. In the marker 2. a transverse or windage adjustment knob I has a threaded screw 8 joined therewith. Said screw is journalled in the flanged skirt portion 3a. of the eye piece member and operatively engages a. threaded boss 9 in the member 2.. The threaded screw 8 is held against lateral shifting in the skirt of the eye piece member and thus when knob l is turned, the threaded screw portion tends to move the members 2 and 3 laterally with relation to each other. Said parts are provided with interfitted dove-tailed guides ii! to promote accuracy when said transverse movement is made.

Arranged in said eye piece is an iris diaphragm H which constitutes the means for varying the effective size of the aperture in'said eye piece. Said diaphragm preferably is held in place by a lock-nut l2. Arranged at the opposite sides of said diaphragm are lenses l3. Said lenses preferably are plane and, serve merely toprotect and to keep moisture from the iris diaphragm. Relatively compressible annular members I4 fit exteriorly of the lenses. and hold them in place and cover the endsof. the eye piece. Within the skirt portion of the eye piece we arranged a pivoted lever 15, pivotally supported intermediate to ends upon a pivot screw 16. To one end of said lever a flexible wire or lanyard ET is secured by a screw 22. Said wire preferably is sheathed and is slidably mounted Within a cable l8. Said wire constitutes the means by which the iris diaphragm is actuated from a distance.

Joining the adjustable portion'of the iris dia a J; phragm to lever is a link Hi. It is pivotally secured to the iris diaphragm H by a screw 29 and to a slotted aperture 2! in the lever it by a screw or the like. The lever is adapted for movement in a counter-clockwise direction by a pull on wire ll, and is rocked in the opposite direction, that is in a clockwise direction, by the tension of a coiled spring 23. Said spring is anchored on a clip 24 secured to the eye piece. The far end of the flexible wire is secured to the trigger 25 of a rifle 26. We preferably arrange a loop 21 in the wire and sheathing cable therefor to accommodate adjustments of the sight longitudinally and laterally, when making adjustments for ele-' vation and windage.

In Fig. 4 we illustrate how a hydraulic column may be provided for actuating said mechanism. In this modification, a flexible tube 28 communi cates at one end with an actuating cylinder 29 at one end and with an operating cylinder 39 at the other. The operating cylinder is adapted to be housed within the skirt portion 3a of the eye piece member. An operating piston 32 is moved longitudinally of said cylinder and the free end of said piston is joined by .the link IQ of the movable portion of the iris diaphragm. An actuating piston 3| at the other end of said tube is moved in to cylinder 29 by means of a pin 39which extends through cap 34 for said cylinder and engages trigger 35. A compression spring 3?: lying intermediate the saidcap 34 and, a spring .retainer 37 tends to move the piston toward. the left, while a pull on the trigger tends to move said piston towards the right.- Thus when the trigger is pulled, it moves the piston tcwardthe right and produces pressure on the hydraulic column within the bore ofthe tube 28, which pressure moves the piston in the operating cylinder. 38 to close theaperture in the iris diaphragm.

It is to be noted that the actuating cylinder 29 is of substantially larger diameter than that of the operating cylinder. It is contemplated that themovement of the trigger will be substantially shorter than that of the link 19. Thus to produce a proper displacement of fluid, the diameter of the cylinders must be related. We contemplate that such adjustment is best eirected by providing a series of actuating cylinders 29 to accommodate triggers for various lengths of movement. A selected actuating cylinder is provided to operate with a trigger having known movement and with an operating cylinder having a predetermined movement with respect to the iris diaphragm. Said actuating cylinder may be secured to the appropriate end of the tube by means of a packing nut 38, screw fitted to neck 39 on the actuating cylinder 29.

As is illustrated in Fig. 6, said adjustable sight preferably is the rear sight and is mounted in the usual position upon the rifle 26. The springs 23 and 36 respectively and the several operating devices tend to hold the iris diaphragm at its most widely opened position. Then as the trigger is squeezed the mechanisms tend to cause the area of the central aperture to close progressively and immediately before the trigger releases the firing mechanism of the rifle, the aperture is closed to define the smallest aperture desired.

sighting aperture that is variable in size between a relatively large opening having a wide field of vision for preliminary aiming and a relatively small peep sight opening for final aiming, and. means operatively connected with the gun trigger for actuating said aperture means to progressively close the aperture from large to small opening in accordance with the amount of trigger movement during the aiming and firing of the gun,

7 whereby the aperture will be gradually reduced The following references are of record in 0 file of this patent:

as the trigger is operated and whereby the closing action of the aperture will influence the operator to gradually squeeze the trigger in firing the gun.

25 A sighting device for trigger-operated hand guns comprising a member for adjustably defin ing'a sightingaperture that is variable in size between a relatively large opening having a Wide fieldofvision for preliminary aiming and a rela- I tively small peep sight opening for final aiming, means for operating said member-to vary the size of-the aperture through a range of progressively varying diameters betweenthe large and the small opening-and means operatively connected with the gun trigger for actuating said operating means to progressively close the aperture from large to small opening in accordance with the amount of trigger movement during theaiming and firing of the gun.

3. A sighting device for trigger-operated hand guns comprising a member for adjustably defining .a sighting aperture of a size that isvariable between a relatively large openinghaving a wide fieldof vision for preliminary aiming and a relativelysmall peep sight opening for finalairning, means for operating said -member to. vary the size of the aperture through a range of progressively varying diameters between the large and the small opening, means operatively connected with the gun trigger for actuating said operating means to progressively close the aperture from large to small opening in accordance with. the amount of trigger movement during the aiming and firing of the gun, and adjustable means controlling said trigger-operated means to vary the eifective operating movement thereof in actuating said member operating means.

'JAMES D. HAZEN.

WILLIAM D. mar-min REFERENCES CITED the UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,198,888 Bullen Sept. 19, 1916 1,814,756 Levy July 14, 1931 2,310,929 Beresky Feb. 16, 1943 2,322,806 Jackson June 29, 1943 2,397,009 Hurley et al. Mar. 19, 1946 

